[This story is running in the print edition of The Seattle Times Aug. 28, 2012.]

Sure, Apple won big Friday when a federal-district court jury decided Samsung had infringed on some of Apple’s patents.

But two other potential winners weren’t even parties in the lawsuit: Microsoft and Nokia.

The thinking goes like this: Though Apple’s beef was with Samsung, many see the case as a proxy war between Apple and Android, the operating system for smartphones and tablets that Google created and gives away free.

Apple — as has Microsoft — contends Android violates some of its patents. Now that a federal jury in San Jose, Calif., has said as much — though how much is in dispute — some manufacturers building on Android may turn to Microsoft’s Windows Phone platform to avoid a similar legal battle with Apple.

Nokia, which has turned to Windows Phone as its primary smartphone operating system, may benefit if Apple wins an injunction preventing some of Samsung’s devices from reaching store shelves. That gives Nokia a window of opportunity as it prepares to launch its new Windows Phone 8 devices, presumably this fall.

That said, there’s a big caveat: It’s still unclear how all this will play out.

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Welcome to Microsoft Pri0: That's Microspeak for top priority, and that's the news and observations you'll find here from Seattle Times technology reporter Matt Day. Send tips or comments to mday@seattletimes.com.